Double bladed axially articulated excavator scoop

ABSTRACT

A scoop comprises a frame, an end part, an attack blade which includes at least one portion mounted to pivot on the frame about an axis extending substantially perpendicular to the end part, and a member for pivoting the blade portion and coupled between the blade portion and the frame, wherein the movement of the pivotal portion of the blade is such that the attacking edge of the blade as a whole is capable of being coplanar.

' United States Patent Guinot 5] Oct. 28, 1975 DOUBLE BLADED AXIALLY 484,806 /1892 Luther 294/49 ARTICULATED EXCAVATOR coop 1 2,331; 11713212 ghedd 1332;:

, enolt Inventor: Gabriel Guinot, Le Plessis 1,644,274 10/1927 P6616 172/26.6 Bellev1lle, France 2,556,592 6/1951 Markkula 214/145 X 2,583,154 1 1952 P 294/55 X [73] Assgneei poclamLe plesss BenevmeFmnce 2,601,360 6/1952 Bi fkshear 294/8 [22] Filed: May 7, 1974 Primary ExaminerClifford D. Crowder [21] Appl' 467837 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Mason, Fenwick &

Lawrence Foreign Application Priority Data May 14, 1973 France 73.17395 [57] ABSTRACT 52 US. Cl 37 118 R- 172 37 214 4 A a frame an end Part an attack 1 1 blade which includes at least one portion mounted to [51] Int. Cl. EOZF 3/40 pivot on the frame about an axis extending Substan- [58] Field of Search" 37 A 141 tially perpendicular to the end part, and a member for 172/743 265 266 294/8 49 pivoting the blade portion and coupled between the 4 146 i blade portion and the frame, wherein the movement of the pivotal portion of the blade is such that the at- [56] References Cited tacking edge of the blade as a whole is capable of being coplanar.

10 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,914,884

US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 3 of 3 DOUBLE BLADED AXIALLY ARTICULATED EXCAVATOR SCOOP The present invention relates to improvements in scoops.

In order to carryzoutearthworks, use is often made of public works machines equipped with scoops. A scoop consists conventionally of a frame which enables handling of it at the end of the boom of the machine to which this frame is coupled, of an attack-blade which, having various ,forms, facilitates penetration of the scoop into the material to be handled, of an end which keeps within the scoop the material which has already entered it, and of sides which prevent the material spreading sideways inopportunely.

It has been proved that penetration of the sides into the material is generally poor and is in any event an obstacle to obtaining effective digging. Attempts have even been made to provide the sides with teeth for penetration or various sets of teeth, or even to shape them so as to create a punching effect on the material suitable for improving the conditions of penetration. These various solutions are only makeshift and it has become apparent that the radical solution of the constraint upon penetration caused by the presence of the said sides was their pure and simple elimination. Of course elimination of the sides must be compensated for by particular constructional arrangements which are the object of the present invention.

According to the present invention, there is provided a scoop comprising a frame, a back wall portion, an attack-blade which includes at least one portion mounted to pivot on the frame about an axis extending substantially perpendicular to the back wall portion, and a member for pivoting the blade portion and coupled between the blade portion and the frame, wherein the movement of the pivotal portion of the blade is such that the attacking edge of the blade as a whole is capable of being coplanar..

Preferably each pivotal portion of the blade is mounted pivotally about a shaft extending substantially perpendicular to the end part.

It is in addition advantageous to adopt the following general arrangements:

each pivotal portion of the blade is substantially flat and elongated in a direction perpendicular to the end part of the scoop and has a pointed attacking edge;

one portion at least of the back wall portion is fixed to the frame, whilst each pivotal portion includes an edge arranged opposite the portion of the end part at a small distance from this end, which distance is equal to the clearance caused during the pivotal travel of the pivotal portion in question; one at least of the pivotal portions has a plane end part which is fixed to it and which extends perpendicular to the plane of the pivotal portion;

the total angular travel of each pivotal portion is substantially equal to 90.

When the blade comprises two pivotal portions the following particular arrangements are preferred:

the two portions are mounted on the frame to pivot about a common shaft and are substantially contiguous along an edge which is substantially rectilinear and coaxial with the common shaft;

each of theportions of the blade has a plane back wall portion which is fixed to it and which extends perpendicular to the plane of the portion of blade. The back wall portions are slightly axially offset with respect to one another by a small distance equal to the clearance caused during the pivotal travel of the pivotal portions and the end parts are at least partially superimposed when the upper faces of the portions of the blade are angularly inclined by an angle substantially less than 180;

the two pivotal portions are planar and, in a mean position, are contained in one single plane, the pivotal travel of each portion being substantially equal to 45 to each side of the single plane.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of embodiments thereof given, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a scoop in accordance with the invention, in the direction of the arrow F in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the scoop illustrated in FIG. 1, in the direction of the arrow G in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the scoop illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the direction of the arrow H in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective of a second embodiment of a scoop in accordance with the invention; and

FIGS. 5 to 12 are simplified front views of the scoop of FIGS. 1 to 3, showing various functional configurations of the scoop.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be observed that a support frame 1 is articulated about a horizontal axis 3 at the end of the beam 2 of a hydraulic shovel. By means of a conventional system with a rocking lever 4, connecting rod 5 and a jack 6 coupled between the rocking lever 4 and the beam 2, this frame 1 can be orientated in the required position by pivoting about the axis 3. In order to simplify the drawings, the beam 2, the rocking lever 4, the connecting rod 5 and the jack 6 have not been shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Frame 1 supports two flat, elongated blades 7 extending in a direction XX perpendicular to axis 3 each provided with two arms at the end opposite the end 70, which arms 7c are provided with aligned apertures into which a single common shaft 8 is introduced. The shaft 8 is, in addition, introduced into apertures 9 in the frame 1 so that the blades 7 are thus mounted to pivot on the frame 1.

It will be observed that the edges 7b are arranged opposite to, and parallel with, one another and substantially coincident with the direction XX, and that the shaft 8 is arranged to be substantially coaxial with the line XX. In the mean position in which they are shown, the upper faces 7d of the blades 7 are substantially co-planar. Further, it will be observed that the edges 7b are very near to one another, separated only by a distance J equal to the play necessary to avoiding any risk of interference between the two blades during use of the scoop.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, an end part 10 is integral with each blade 7, is substantially flat and ex tends perpendicular to the direction XX. The back wall portions 10 of the two blades are slightly offset in the direction XX in order that one of them can be lo cated behind the other during pivoting of the two blades. A clearance J is likewise provided between the two faces of the back wall portions 10, the clearance .1 being just sufficient to avoid any risk of interference between the two back wall portions 10 during pivoting of the blades 7. Referring to FIG. 8, partial superimposition will be observed in a zone a of the back wall portions 10, when the blades have pivoted to a position 7a in order to form a hollow within which material 11 to be conveyed is contained.

Finally, a jack 12 is coupled to each of the blades 7 by ears l3 integral with the blade and a pin 14, and to the frame by a pin 15.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the rear ends of the blades 7 are each curved round into a flange 7f arranged at a right angle with respect to the plane of the blade. Each flange 7f is bounded by an edge 7g which, when the blades 7 are co-planar, is angularly offset from its homologue by an angle V substantially equal to 90. The flanges 7f are co-planar and parallel to a single end part 10b which is no longer integral with each blade 7 but is fixed to the frame 1.

FIG. 5 shows the blades 7 in a position for penetration into the material. The angle S between their upper faces is in this case substantially equal to 180.

Referring to FIG. 6 it will be seen that each blade can be offset by an angle A equal, for example, to to a position 7aa above or a position 7bb below its mean position 7. .It is of course possible, either under the control of an operator or automatically, to pass periodically from the position 7aa to 7bb and vice versa. The periodicity of the change of position facilitates penetration of the blade.

It is likewise possible to keep the blades in a position 7dd (FIG. 7 offset by an angle B with respect to their mean position 7 to let them penetrate thus into the material. The angle B may be equal to 30 so that the angle C separating the blades in position 7dr! is equal to 120.

After penetration (FIG. 8) the blades are in any case moved into position 700 in which they make an angle E, approximately equal to 45, with the mean position 7. The angle D between the blades in the positions 70c is then approximately equal to 90.

Moreover during rotation of the beam 2 after loading the scoop, it is possible for a start in direction U (FIG. 9) to tilt the two blades differently by tilting the blade 7ff, arranged to the rear with respect to the displacement in question, at an angle L equal for example to 45, and by tilting the other blade 7ee at an angle J less than L and equal to about 15. The angle K between the blades 7ee, 7]? is then equal to 120.

On the other hand when stopping the scoop (FIG. 10) the front blade 7gg will be tilted further by the angle L, the rear blade 711/1 being tilted only by the angle J.

For discharging the material one can choose one of the configurations of FIG. 11 or FIG. 12.

Referring to FIG. 11, it is to be observed that the blades have been tilted to 7kk to be co-planar, the plane being tilted from the mean position 7 at an angle M equal to 45. For dumping on the other side the blades must be tilted to 711 at an angle M likewise equal, for example, to 45. In the two cases the angles N or N between the blades 7kk or 711 are then equal to 180.

In the dumping configuration illustrated in FIG. 12, the blades 7mm are tilted in two opposite directions with respect to their mean position 7 so that they are arranged below their respective mean positions 7 offset by an angle P equal, for example, to 45. The total angle R which separates their upper faces is therefore equal to 270.

The advantages which result from the adoption of one of the above described scoops will now be set forth.

As far as concerns penetration, it is obvious from FIGS. 2, 3 and 5 that the absence of lateral sides improves penetration by suppression of any resistance to the advance of the scoop provided by the lateral sides.

As with conventional scoops there remains nevertheless the insertion of the blades 7 in the material. On this point, however, the tapering and elongated shapes of each blade 7 greatly facilitate this insertion.

Moreover a slight periodical pulsation of the blades between their positions 7aa and 7bb (FIG. 6) likewise facilitates their insertion into the interstices in the material by in addition slightly loosening the material and reducing its cohesion and the resistance to the advance of the blades.

It is to be observed that penetration can possibly be effected with the blades in their position 7dd as FIG. 7.

With penetration improved it must be possible subsequently to convey the material in a receiver having characteristics similar to those of the shell of a conventional scoop. Location of the blades in their position 7cc (FIG. 8) enables effectively a hollow to be produced, bounded at the two sides by the blades c themselves as well as by the cooperation of the two back Wall portions 10 which overlap. The embodiment of FIG. 4 enables in a similar manner the creation of such a hollow.

It may further be observed that the form and the construction of the scoop which has been described enables both quick starts in rotation of the turret carrying the beam, and quick stops. To do that it is sufficient to arrange (FIG. 9 or 10) the blades, 7ff in one case and 7gg in the other, so that their high tilt compensates the effects of the force of inertia being exerted on the material 11 both during starting and during stopping.

Finally there is rio need to comment at length upon the FIGS. 11 and 12 in order to understand that dumping of the material at the required location is there again greatly facilitated by the elimination of the lateral sides of a conventional scoop. The material in certain cases has a tendency to adhere strongly to all the surfaces bounding the scoop including of course the sides. The elimination of the latter brings about of itself the radial elimination of one of the surfaces for adherence of the material and consequently increases the efficiency of dumping.

The invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments described above but on the contrary covers any variant which might be applied to them without departing from its scope or its spirit.

What is claimed is:

l. A scoop comprising a support frame, first and second blades extending forwardly of said frame and each having a forward end termination comprising an attacking edge, pivot means on said support frame pivotally supporting said blades for pivotal movement about a front to rear oriented pivot axis approximately parallel to the forward direction of movement of said scoop during operation, actuator means mounted on the frame and connected to the blades for pivoting said blades about said pivot axis in an arcuate path including a position in which said blades are coplanar.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said first and second blades comprise generally flat elongated members having their longest dimensions extending in front-torear orientation and additionally respectively including first and second upwardly extending back wall portions adjacent rear portions of said blades.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said pivot means includes a front-to-rear extending pivot shaft on which said blades are mounted for pivotal movement, said blades each include inwardly facing substantially linear edge portions, said linear edge portions mutually facing each other and extending in approximately parallel relationship to and closely spaced from said pivot shaft.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said back wall portions are closely spaced in different transverse planes to permit overlapping pivotal movement of said back wall portions.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said attacking edges provide a forwardly pointed edge configuration having an apex approximately coaxial with said pivot axis.

6. The invention of claim 5 in which said back wall portions and their associated blades are of unitary integral construction.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said blades comprise generally flat members, said attacking edges define a pointed configuration and additionally including first and second back wall portions each respectively extending upwardly perpendicularly from one of said blades.

8. The invention of claim 7 in which said back wall portions and their associated blades are of unitary integral construction.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said pivot means supports said blades in a manner permitting rotation of said blades through an arcuate path of travel of approximately 10. The invention of claim 9 wherein said blades are oriented in a horizontal plane when in the midpoint of said arcuate path of travel. 

1. A scoop comprising a support frame, first and second blades extending forwardly of said frame and each having a forward end termination comprising an attacking edge, pivot means on said support frame pivotally supporting said blades for pivotal movement about a front to rear oriented pivot axis approximately parallel to the forward direction of movement of said scoop during operation, actuator means mounted on the frame and connected to the blades for pivoting said blades about said pivot axis in an arcuate path including a position in which said blades are coplanar.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said first and second blades comprise generally flat elongated members having their longest dimensions extending in front-to-rear orientation and additionally respectively including first and second upwardly extending back wall portions adjacent rear portions of said blades.
 3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said pivot means includes a front-to-rear extending pivot shaft on which said blades are mounted for pivotal movement, said blades each include inwardly facing substantially linear edge portions, said linear edge portions mutually facing each other and extending in approximately parallel relationship to and closely spaced from said pivot shaft.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said back wall portions are closely spaced in different transverse planes to permit overlapping pivotal movement of said back wall portions.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said attacking edges provide a forwardly pointed edge configuration having an apex approximately coaXial with said pivot axis.
 6. The invention of claim 5 in which said back wall portions and their associated blades are of unitary integral construction.
 7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said blades comprise generally flat members, said attacking edges define a pointed configuration and additionally including first and second back wall portions each respectively extending upwardly perpendicularly from one of said blades.
 8. The invention of claim 7 in which said back wall portions and their associated blades are of unitary integral construction.
 9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said pivot means supports said blades in a manner permitting rotation of said blades through an arcuate path of travel of approximately 90*.
 10. The invention of claim 9 wherein said blades are oriented in a horizontal plane when in the midpoint of said arcuate path of travel. 